Locomotive



Oct. 27, 1925. 4 1,558,971-

' S. W. FARNHAM 'LOCOMOTIVE Filed Dec. 26, 1924 fiimlor i'anqy [afar/16am ZM/rzpss Q I Maj/WM Price.

' SIDNEY w. FARNHAM, OF CHICAGO, InLINofa-AssIGNoR To GOODMAN MANUFACTUR- 1 'ING COMPANY, orcn oAeo nr-aivors'; n coaroaarro'u or nnmo'rs; Y

LOCOMOTIVE 'i.

Application filedi December 26,:1924. Seria1 ire. gos; 2

To. all am itnmy' concern Be it known that I, SIDNEY lV. Famv mir,

acitizen of the United States residing .at Chicago, in the countyjof Cook and State of 5 Illi110iS,l12We invented a new anduseful Improvement in Locomotives of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improven'ients 1n mine locomotives land more particularlyto? 10- combined trolley and gathering lOCOIIIOt-IVGS in which the locomotive may be operated selectively by power obtainedthrough one or more trolleys orthrough gathering reel of the usual type having a conductor cable wound thereon and adapted to be detachably connected to the :powerlines ina main trans portation entry. while the locomotive is being operated over unwired tracks as for instance branch. tracks extending into remote por- ;t1ons of a 1111116.. I v- The purpose of this invent on is to provide means for preventing sparkingbetween I the'locon'iotive wheels and the rail while the power is being supplied through. the cable reel so that the locomotive can be safely operated with the reel connections] in remote portions of the mine where explosive gas is likely to accumulate andform a potent source of danger from sparks ordinarily' caused by the returning current from the power line passing through the locomotive wheels and from them. to the mine tracks.

My invention may be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in 5 which: I

Figure l is a diagrammatic View illustrating one embodiment of my invention as applied to an electric locomotive.

In these drawings, 10 indicates a main 0 power supply line such as a trolley wire and 11 indicates a track forming a power return. It is understood that the trolley and track extend along main transportation lines which areusually well ventilated so 5 as to eliminate any danger of explosions such as might be caused by the operation of an electric motor.

The remaining portions of the diagrams indicate parts mounted upon an electric 9 locomotive of the combined trolley and gathering reel type.

In the form shown the locomotive is provided with two trolley poles 12 and 13, and ;a gathering reel 14 having a cable 15 of the *duplex type including two leads 16' and 17.

l l hese. l ea ds provided witlr suitable te1'--. mmahdevmes of the usual characterfor,

eiigageinent respectively with the trolley 10 with in any suitable inanner, and a fevers-- ing drum 27 suitably connectedsfor rever's ing the direction of, current through the; motorsf Details of these controlling devices neednotbe described forthe purpose of the and, ti'ackQll L These devicesv need not bepresent invention excepting to point/0115a main lead 28 leading to i the control-drum and a secondlead 29 leading to the field windings 22, 22. Theselatter leads are adapted to complete the circuit from the source of supply.

Inelectric locomotives of this adapt ed to receive power fromeither one or two trolleypoles, such as the poles12 and 13, and from an electric conductor orf gathering reel" such n as the reel let, an independent three-way switch is usually provided so as -torender. two of the supply sources dead or disconnectedwlien the third is in operation.

In the present invention I provide an additional switch or set of contacts in which the return connection. of the motor circuit is made to aground upon the frame of the locomotive when operatingfrom one or the other of the trolleys and another connection is made from the motor return circuit to one side of the gathering reel and thence directly through the conductor cable when operating through the reel. In the form shown this switch is indicated generally at 35 and comprises a contractor arm 36 pivotally'connected at 37 to one of the main motor circuit leads 28. The upper end 38 of this switch is adapted-to engage with a plurality of contacts T T or R. The lower end 39 of this switch member is adapted to engage with contactsG G orR the arrangementbeing such that the circuit is completed either from T to G ,Rto R orT to G The two contacts Gr and G have a common connection to the frame of the locomotive. Thus it will be seen that when the switch is connected with either of the trolleys 12 and 13 by engaging switch member 36 is rotated to connect contacts and B in which case the return connection fronrthe lead 29 is connected to a conductor 41 having engagement with a contacto'r ring 42 carried by the reel and connected to" one of the cable conchl'etors' 17. The other motor lead 28 is connected through a conductor A13 to a contacting ring 445 on; the reel connected with the other cable conchiictor 16 Thus the possibility of arcing between the locomotive wheels and the track is entirely eliminated when the" power is being su'ppl'ied through the cable reel. It is preferable in locomotives of this character to enclose the operating parts of the locomotive wherein arcs are likely to occur as well as the conductor, rings on the gathering reel, Similarly the switching device is enclosed as for instance i'n'dioated' by the casing" 45 shown" in the diagram surruon'd ing the switching device 35'.

From the above description it will be understood that the locomotive may be operated in the usual manner with aground return from the motor passing through the locomotive frame and wheels andthe return track, without danger of causing; ex-

plosions since the main haulage entries are usually suificientl'y ventilated to elin-i inate danger from explosive gases. However, when operating on the gathering reel in re lnoteportion'sof the mine where the ventilating system is not so effectiye, my improved switching device automatically provides for a return current for the duplex cable reel instead of through the locomotive ground on the locomotive frame and the mine tracks and thus providing a safeguard against explosions in the more dangerous areas of the mine.

\Vhile I have shown and described one embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the construction and arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be interpreted as limiting myself to the particular construction illustrated excepting as it may be specifically limited in the appended claim.

I claim as my invention:-

ground connection on the locomotive frame in second position.

Signed at Chicago, inthe county of Cook. and'S'tate of Illinois, this 24th day of De camber; A. D. 1924. 1 A

SIDNEY W. FARNHAM, 

